October 11, 2012

Capturing Memories: Day 11

Today we got some amazing news about Kate.

About a month ago, she received a trial vaccination to see how her body would respond. Kate was on immune suppressants for months after her transplant. The chemotherapy she received, along with the medication, left her without an immune system for quite some time. Standard protocol is to "challenge" a transplant recipient's immune system one year post BMT. It is common for patients to not "mount a response" to vaccinations for up to two years post transplant.

Kate's nurse practitioner called today to let me know that Kate responded to the vaccination! This means Kate's immune system has recovered and is back! She was officially released back to our pediatrician who will administer the rest of Kate's vaccinations. (BMTs leave patients completely unvaccinated. Post transplant patients are re-vaccinated on a much different schedule but Kate will be caught up within 2-3 years).
She doesn't have an appointment at Texas Children's for THREE months.

THREE MONTHS!

This is the longest she has gone in her entire life without making a trip to TCH.

I simply cannot believe we are here. That she is healed. And healthy. And seeing a regular pediatrician.

From a squishy newborn with clueless parents (who never would have guessed what the next two years would hold), to a beautiful, thriving two year old that is the best big sister to her miracle baby brother.

Today, watching these two play blocks meant so much more than it did yesterday.

Today, I am extra thankful for where we are. And how far my sweet girl has come.

Today, the memories I captured mean more than I realized they would when I pulled out my camera and started clicking away.